More wins at Canon Media Awards for Massey journalism students

Miri Schroeter at the awards dinner with her winner’s certificate
Massey postgraduate journalism student Miri Schroeter was named best student journalist at the 2017 Canon Media Awards, maintaining a great run of success for Massey students at the journalism industry’s awards.

Miri’s portfolio of stories included a blind woman’s successful struggle with her insurance company to pay a major claim, the resignation of a public figure following controversial comments he made in an interview and the contentious appointment of a local politician.

All the stories were published in the Manawatu Standard, where Miri now works.

“Winning a Canon Media Award in my first year of journalism is an honour and it gives me the drive to push myself further,” Miri said.

“Looking at how much my stories have advanced in the past year and having my best work recognised validates for me that I've chosen the right career path, despite it being a tough and ever-changing industry.”

Miri said the opportunities available on the Massey course set her on the right path.

“The Massey postgraduate journalism course gave me the opportunity to write for great publications from the get-go. The quality of the stories I submitted in my Canon portfolio was in part due to the course.

“I became comfortable interviewing people and writing publishable stories during my year at Massey, which made me more confident.”

Miri offered this advice for aspiring journalists.

“It's important to try to get work published in several publications during the year of the course and make the most of attending events that you have been invited to. You never know when a contact will come in handy.”

The judges said Miri's stories demonstrated “her skills in news sense, storytelling and ability to work under pressure. She can get to the heart of the matter, keep the story simple and engage the reader. She also understands the importance of the follow-up.”

Massey students have figured regularly in the student journalist category over the past 11 years, winning five times - including last year - and being finalists another four times.

Miri’s win was not the only success Massey journalism students enjoyed at Canon.

Recent graduate Mava Enoka took out the award for best short-form business and politics feature. Her article looked at corruption in the industry sending Indian students to New Zealand.

Mava, who completed her Master of Journalism at Massey in 2015, published her feature on thewireless.co.nz

The judges said Mava’s piece “was a well-researched and well-told story that lifted the lid on a major immigration scandal and made full use of multi-media platforms to engage and inform the audience.”